


In Tents

by quarion



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Molly buys tents for the nein and romance ensues, but anyway this is cute and lighthearted and caleb and molly are in love and everything is fine, i wrote the first draft of this before ep26 so some of the dialogue hits a bit harder now
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-08-28 19:23:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16729254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quarion/pseuds/quarion
Summary: Molly lifted the flap and crawled into the marginally warmer interior of the tent. He flopped to the ground with a groan, pulling his bag closer to use as a pillow, already beginning to drift off.“Mollymauk?”It was enough to wake him up completely. Instead of the deep twang he expected, the voice saying his name was soft and distinctly Zemnian.or, Molly accidentally walks into the wrong tent and gets a boyfriend out of it.





	In Tents

**Author's Note:**

> Big thanks to my dear friend [ Sam ](https://raptordude.tumblr.com) for being a fantastic editor and sounding board (and putting up with me during the very-drawn-out editing process despite the fact that they've never watched an episode of CR in their life). Love you!  
> Please come find me on tumblr at [ deceptioncheck ](http://moominvalley.co.vu/) or [ mistermollymauk ](https://mistermollymauk.tumblr.com) and talk to me about Critical Role!

The first night after Mollymauk bought the tents, he had the midnight watch. He sat huddled up next to the fire with Nott, his platinum dragon tapestry wrapped around his shoulders to keep out the cold. He had never loved traveling North. The cold did him no favors and there was nothing he despised more than driving a cart through the snow. They had been blessed to avoid snowfall thus far since it was early in the season, but Mollymauk knew that if they stayed this far north for long they’d be forced to deal with all sorts of unpleasant weather.

He shivered and pulled the tapestry tighter around himself, doing his best to stifle a yawn. He knew his shift would be over soon, but every moment between him and his tent felt like an eternity.

Soon enough, a rustling came from one of the tents behind them as Beau and Yasha emerged to take the next shift. He stood up, as did Nott, and they both stretched their legs out as the other two approached.

“She’s like a fucking boa constrictor,” Beau joked quietly to Yasha.

“I know. I had no idea anyone could be that strong in their sleep.”

Molly couldn’t help but crack a smile at the mental image of Beau and Yasha trying to disentangle themselves from Jester. He stretched one more time before turning towards them.

“Nothing out of the ordinary,” he reported. “Just cold and dark. Have fun.” With a wave to both them and Nott, he strode off toward one of the tents. “Goodnight!”

Molly lifted the flap and crawled into the marginally warmer interior of the tent. He flopped to the ground with a groan, pulling his bag closer to use as a pillow, already beginning to drift off.

“Mollymauk?”

It was enough to wake him up completely. Instead of the deep twang he expected, the voice saying his name was soft and distinctly Zemnian.

He looked over to see a very sleepy, very adorable Caleb sitting up and rubbing at his eyes. _Fuck_.

“Fuck,” Molly voiced the thought out loud. “Wrong tent. Sorry.” He quickly began to gather his things, getting ready to make the embarrassing walk from Caleb’s tent to his.

“It’s ok,” Caleb said softly, his tired voice almost making Molly abandon his plans to leave in favor of crawling closer to Caleb. “You can stay. If you want.”

Now _that_ surprised Molly. He didn’t think Caleb would want to bunk up with anyone besides Nott, ever. But, presented with the option, there was no way Molly was turning him down. He did his best to look nonchalant and offered Caleb a shrug.

“Sure.” He lay back down, pulling his tapestry over himself like a blanket, watching Caleb cautiously. Caleb settled down, facing Molly, and shut his eyes.

As tired as Molly had been before, there was no way he was sleeping with the way his heart was fluttering now. He lay there for a few minutes, watching Caleb’s form rise and fall with each breath, and of course taking notice as Caleb began to shiver.

Molly waited a few more minutes, trying to decide exactly what to do with himself. He wanted to wrap his arms around Caleb and hold him as tightly as Jester had apparently held Beau and Yasha. He was fairly certain that wouldn’t go over well.

“Caleb.” It was out of his mouth before he had a chance to stop it.

“Mm?” Caleb’s eyes blinked open to meet Molly’s gaze.

“Are you cold?” _No going back now_.

Caleb paused for a moment, considering. “ _Ja_.”

Molly took a breath and lifted a corner of the tapestry. “Come here.”

Molly had been worried that he would have to do some convincing, or that Caleb would just reject him outright, but to his surprise Caleb wasted no time in crawling under the makeshift blanket with him.

Caleb also wasted no time in closing the few inches between them and pressing his face into Molly’s shoulder. Caleb’s hands bunched into fists, clutching the front of Molly’s shirt, as if he was scared that Molly would move away.

In reality, Molly was too shocked to move at all. Leave it to Caleb Widogast to completely defy his every expectation.

Caleb’s ragged breathing and wild heartbeat against his chest brought Molly back to the present. He slowly lowered the arm that had been holding up the tapestry, letting it rest gently around Caleb’s waist. The tension eased from Caleb’s shoulders and he relaxed against Molly’s body. His grip on Molly’s shirt loosened only slightly.

Molly stayed still until Caleb’s breathing evened out. It didn’t take long before Caleb’s fingers slackened and Molly was sure he was asleep. Tightening his grip on Caleb’s waist ever so slightly, he tucked his head into Caleb’s hair and let himself be lulled to sleep by Caleb’s warmth and soft snoring.

He awoke in the morning to the same mop of auburn hair, not quite believing it. He had slept better than he had in months, and Caleb was still snoring lightly beside him. He took a moment to thank the Moon Weaver for whatever stars had aligned last night before sitting up and looking at the sleeping figure beside him.

Caleb’s hair was everywhere and he had managed to get his legs impressively tangled in the tapestry. A shaft of sunlight snuck in through the tent flap, falling across Caleb’s hair and making it glow like the embers of a smoldering fire. If Molly didn’t know any better, he’d say that Caleb had a halo.

He smiled softly to himself and brushed a strand of hair out of Caleb’s face before leaning down to press a kiss to his forehead. Caleb’s eyelids fluttered, and Molly kept his hand in Caleb’s hair, amazed by how soft it was.

“Good morning,” Molly whispered, and Caleb shifted slightly.

“ _Guten morgen_ ,” he replied, finally opening his eyes. Molly could see the same disbelief he had felt in Caleb’s expression. “You stayed.”

“Of course I stayed. I wasn’t about to let you freeze to death.” Molly watched as Caleb sat up and tried to fix his hair. “Besides, you kinda had a death grip on my shirt.”

Caleb’s face flushed pink. “Sorry.”

“I’m not complaining.” Molly grinned at him. “I slept quite well.”

Caleb gave him a shy smile and Molly reached out to ruffle his hair, undoing all of the work Caleb had just done to tame it. Caleb didn’t seem to mind.

“I’ll see you out there,” Molly said, giving Caleb another kiss on the forehead before climbing out of the tent into the morning sunlight. Caleb was left a flustered, disheveled mess inside the tent.

Fjord and Nott were already up, working on what appeared to be a passable breakfast. As Molly emerged from the tent they looked up at him with the guilty expressions of people who had just been gossiping.

Nott flashed him a toothy grin. “Sleep well?”

“Splendidly, thank you.” Molly took a seat next to the fire and began poking at it with a stick.

“I’d imagine so. You two looked awfully cozy last night.” _Of course_. Nott hardly even crossed his mind last night, but he should’ve known she’d try to get back into the tent with Caleb. And that she’d bring up the cuddling. Fjord was doing his best to look like he wasn’t extremely interested in whatever Molly said next.

Molly gave them nothing but a smirk. “And how was having Fjord as a roommate?”

“I don’t know how you put up with all his snoring,” she shot back.

“Hey!” Fjord looked indignant. “I don’t snore.”

Before they could argue about it further, Caleb made his way out of the tent. He had donned his coat and tamed his hair to the best of his ability. When he saw Nott and Fjord, he hesitated for a moment.

“Good morning, Caleb,” Nott said, not missing a beat. “Stay warm last night?”

Caleb blushed again, and it looked to Molly like he was seriously considering walking back into the tent and not leaving again. He opted instead for pulling his coat tighter around him and walking sullenly over to the fire.

“I managed.” He took the seat between Nott and Molly, casting him an embarrassed glance.

Molly chuckled. “Don’t worry, dear, she interrogated me as well.”

Fjord coughed, barely keeping from choking on his drink, and Caleb looked like he wanted to disappear.

 

On the second night, Caleb was still awake when Molly returned to the tent. Molly had kept the first watch with Yasha, exchanging a glance with Nott as she and Jester came to take the second watch. She nodded her understanding, and Molly slipped gratefully into Caleb’s tent.

Caleb sat with his back against his satchel, propped up to read beneath one of his light globules. He looked up as Molly entered, smiling and waiting as Molly made his way over.

There was a bit of shuffling as they readjusted but they were soon nestled under the tapestry, Caleb sitting with his back against Molly’s chest and Molly with his arm around Caleb’s waist as if they had been doing this for years.

Molly perched his chin on Caleb’s shoulder. “What are you reading?”

“ _Tusk Love_. Again.” Caleb let out an annoyed huff. “It’s horrendous drivel, but I haven’t been to a bookshop since Chastity’s Nook. Better horrendous drivel than nothing.”

Molly pulled him closer and whispered into his ear. “Or maybe you just have a thing for Oskar.”

Caleb snorted indignantly but relaxed further into Molly, nearly in his lap now. “Do not say that too loudly, or Jester will hear you.”

“You’re right. Wouldn’t want her interrupting.” Molly’s grin spread broadly enough to brush against Caleb’s ear.

“Interrupting?” Caleb turned his head, forcing Molly’s chin off of his shoulder.

“Don’t look so scandalized. I’m just teasing.” Although Molly kept up his lazy grin, he cursed himself internally. He had to be more careful about flirting with Caleb, especially since he had no idea what was going on. _I’m not about to muck this up so soon_.

“Mm.” Caleb turned his attention back to the book, allowing Molly to place his head back on his shoulder. From what Molly could gather from the page in front of him, the main character was lamenting that her love for Oskar would never be acceptable in the eyes of society and that her parents would disown her for being with him. Caleb turned the page, and Molly wasn’t surprised to see two more pages of sob story, complete with clutched chests and hands on foreheads.

“This really is drivel, isn’t it?” Molly wrapped both arms around Caleb’s waist and pulled him the rest of the way into his lap.

Caleb sighed. “If I don’t get my hands on another book soon, I may go braindead.”

“Well, we wouldn’t want that.” Molly plucked the book from Caleb’s hands and put it to the side. Whatever objection Caleb was about to raise was quashed by Molly’s fingers running through his hair. Caleb, clearly needing something to do with his hands, let one come to rest on the hand Molly still had on his waist. He lifted it and held Molly’s hand out in both of his, examining the various rings under the soft light. With a gentle wonder he traced his finger along the eye in the palm of Molly’s hand, smooth against Caleb’s rougher skin.

“Have you ever thought of braiding your hair?” Molly twisted a strand around one of his fingers as he asked.

“ _Nein_. I don’t know how to braid,” Caleb admitted, still playing with Molly’s hand.

Molly sat quiet for a few moments. Caleb’s hair ran like silk through his fingers and he relished the way Caleb leaned comfortably into the touch. “I could do it for you,” he offered.

Caleb craned his neck to look back at Molly. “Now?”

“Sure, but I’ll need my other hand back for that,” he said with a chuckle.

The tips of Caleb’s ears turned pink and he quickly dropped Molly’s hand. He was unsurprisingly easy to fluster, and doubly cute when he blushed. Molly smiled at the thought and began to gather Caleb’s hair to braid it.

“Is it long enough?” Caleb asked after the few minutes in which Molly made quick work of a French braid.

“I think I’ve managed nicely,” Molly replied. “Here, look at me.”

Caleb shifted to face him, having turned a nice shade of red by this point. Molly had to keep from clapping a hand over his mouth.

“Oh my God, you’re adorable.”

Caleb frowned. “I’m not sure that is what I want to hear.” He reached up to begin undoing the braid, but Molly caught his wrist before he could.

“Trust me, Caleb, adorable is good.”

Caleb raised an eyebrow. “If you say so.”

Molly beamed at him. “Well, I do. And I like the braid.” He reached up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind Caleb’s ear as Caleb suddenly became very interested in the bare patch of ground beneath him. It was as if no one had ever complimented him before.

Molly wanted to lean in and kiss Caleb, to make him blush even deeper than he was already, but the nerves rising in his chest held him back. _If it was anyone else, I wouldn’t be hesitating_. But Caleb was so, so different from any of the people Molly had kissed previously. Molly cared about what Caleb thought of him afterward, and the fear of scaring him off was paralyzing. With Caleb, there were stakes.

Instead of kissing Caleb like he really wanted to, Molly ran his thumb across Caleb’s cheek. Caleb closed his eyes, letting the tips of Molly’s fingers trace their way along the side of his head. It didn’t take long before they had closed the space between them again and Molly pressed their foreheads together.

Molly listened as his own breaths slowed to line up with Caleb’s measured breathing. He could smell the leather of Caleb’s coat and the lingering, familiar scent of the incense he sometimes used to summon Frumpkin. Molly let himself get lost in it, wishing he could either bottle the moment or stay like this forever.

Caleb’s breath hitched, and Molly could almost feel him hesitating to say something. But Caleb only moved his head and nestled his face firmly in the crook of Molly’s neck. Molly obliged him and wrapped his arms around his waist to pull Caleb back into his lap. He tucked his head down, resting his cheek against the braid he had finished a few minutes ago. He began to rub slow circles on Caleb’s back as their breathing evened out and matched up again.

“Are we going to keep doing this?” Caleb posed the question after a few moments had passed, his voice muffled as he spoke into Molly’s shirt.

Molly wanted to ask him what “this” was, but his answer was out before his brain could catch up to his mouth. “It _is_ a good way to keep warm.”

Caleb extracted himself from Molly’s shoulder to frown at him. “Is that the only reason you’re here?”

“No,” Molly answered immediately and more sharply than intended. “No. I like spending time with you. I like this.” He gestured vaguely to their still-entangled forms. “I’d like to keep doing this.” _It makes me feel safe_.

Caleb nodded, and Molly thought that he understood the unspoken ending to his answer.

“Good,” Caleb said with a yawn. “I would like to as well.”

Molly’s chest warmed and he gazed fondly at Caleb. Even though he knew now that he’d get to keep seeing this, he drank it all in: the stray auburn hairs sticking out from the braid, the ever-growing layer of stubble, the splotches on his cheeks where the blush was fading. Molly caught himself staring and knew that, over these past few weeks of adventuring, he’d fallen hard. Part of him hoped Caleb noticed, and part of him prayed that he would never find out.

Caleb yawned again and Molly gently tugged both of them to the ground. Caleb pulled the tapestry over them and rolled over, snuggling closer so his back was pressed against Molly’s chest.

The lights flickered out as Caleb let his spell drop, plunging them into darkness.

“ _Gute nacht_ , Mollymauk.”

 

On the third night, Caleb kissed him.

“I think Caleb and Molly should take the first shift!” Jester had said cheerfully, clapping her hands together. Apparently, they weren’t very subtle about their longing glances.

Embarrassed but grateful for the easy watch, Caleb and Molly spent most of their shift doing their utmost to pay attention. They sat as close as possible without touching, chatting easily, but they both clearly had their minds on things other than watching the empty field—namely the warmth and intimacy that awaited them inside their tent.

After a few torturous hours, Fjord and Jester showed up to relieve them, sharing a knowing look as Caleb and Molly nearly tripped over themselves to get to the tent.

Molly promptly sat on the ground and began to pull off his boots, Caleb not far behind him. Just as he set aside the second boot, Caleb spoke up.

“Mollymauk?”

Molly looked up at Caleb, who was bouncing nervously on the balls of his feet as he crouched. “Yeah?”

Caleb said nothing, simply moving closer and sitting gingerly in Molly’s lap.

And then his lips were on Molly’s, chapped but gentle, and Molly forgot everything else. Caleb’s hands cupped Molly’s face and he kissed him eagerly, as if afraid Molly would vanish into smoke when he let go. Molly let his hands find Caleb’s hips as he kissed back, elation welling in his chest and the world shrinking until it was just the two of them tangled up in their tent. It was only Caleb’s fingers on Molly’s temples, only Molly pulling Caleb closer, only the moments their lips met. Molly couldn’t have asked for anything more.

But Caleb pulled away, and Molly was immediately left missing the closeness and the warmth that had bloomed in his chest.

“Was that ok?” Caleb asked, pushing a stray piece of hair off of his face.

Molly almost laughed. _Of course. Of course that was ok. I’ve been wanting to do that since I met you in that little tavern in Trostenwald._

He settled for “Yes,” and pulled Caleb in for another kiss. Just as his hands began to roam across Caleb’s chest, he felt something furry brush up against his leg.

“Um, Caleb…” Molly looked down to see Frumpkin nuzzling against his thigh.

“ _Ja_?”

“Did you mean to summon the cat?”

The eager, panting Caleb that Molly was enjoying disappeared so quickly that he almost regretted mentioning Frumpkin at all.

Embarrassed Caleb took his place to answer. “Well… no. I’m not quite sure how that happened.” He avoided Molly’s gaze, leaning away from him and running a hand anxiously through his hair.

“Well, as much as I love him…” Molly trailed off and reached down to pat Frumpkin on the head, waiting for Caleb to fill in the blanks.

“Right, right.” Caleb snapped his fingers, sending Frumpkin back to his fae realm. “I have never done that before, sorry, must be the nerves,” he muttered under his breath.

Molly’s brow furrowed. “Hey,” he said softly, coaxing Caleb’s chin up to meet his gaze. “It’s ok to be nervous, but you don’t have to be. I’m not going anywhere.”

Caleb fixed him with a long look, as if searching his face for evidence of deceit. Molly waited for him to say something, but instead Caleb simply leaned forward and kissed Molly again.

This time, Frumpkin remained unsummoned as Caleb wound his fingers into Molly’s hair. Molly held onto the front of Caleb’s coat and relished in the kiss—Caleb kissed in a way that was somehow eager and shy at the same time, all the while seated sideways in Molly’s lap. After finally breaking away Molly placed a hand on Caleb’s cheek and smiled at him. He was certain that he looked like an idiot, staring like that.

“What are you doing?”

“Enjoying the view,” Molly answered on instinct.

Caleb groaned. “You sound like someone out of  _Tusk Love_.”

“Eugh. I hope you don’t think so lowly of me.” Molly’s nose wrinkled at the thought.

Caleb chuckled, clearly amused at Molly’s instant disgust. “I’m joking. Mostly. It is cute when you say it.”

Molly permitted himself a smirk. “Well, thank you.”

Caleb tried and failed to stifle a yawn, and Molly tutted. “Am I keeping you from your beauty sleep?”

“I don’t mind.” Caleb pressed another, brief kiss against Molly’s lips.

“Mm,” Molly hummed in acknowledgment. “Well, I’m cutting you off. Good night’s rest and all that.”

Caleb gave Molly his best sad face as he reluctantly slid off his lap. Molly kissed Caleb’s forehead and they quickly fell into the already familiar routine of Molly pulling the tapestry over both of them as Caleb put out the lights. Caleb scooted close, stealing a final kiss.

“Hey,” Molly protested, but Caleb had already buried his face in Molly’s chest. Molly gave an affectionate sigh, wrapping an arm around Caleb and closing his eyes. _I think I could get used to this._

 

On the fourth night, Molly asked Caleb out.

He hadn’t intended to. When he returned from his shift on the first watch, Caleb had already wrapped himself up in the tapestry and apparently fallen asleep. Molly smiled to himself and sat down beside Caleb. He brushed a hand over Caleb’s tousled hair, smoothing it down, before leaning down to place a gentle kiss on the top of his head. Molly could’ve sat there forever. Just this, sharing a silent intimacy with Caleb, and he would be happy.

He sighed, a bit sad and a bit resigned. Caleb had been distant all day, and Molly was left to wonder if it was just his nerves cropping up again, if they had moved too fast, or if Caleb simply wasn’t interested. Whatever had happened between them, Molly still wasn’t sure what Caleb wanted from him.

“What is this, Caleb?” He let himself wonder aloud.

Caleb turned, looking up at Molly with a pained expression, and Molly cursed himself for being so sure that Caleb was asleep.

“What do you want this to be, Mollymauk?”

Molly hesitated, but only for a second. Caleb was asking what he wanted, and Molly couldn’t see any reason not to tell him.

“I want this to be my every day. I want to know that this isn’t just temporary, because… well, because coming back to this tent and knowing you’ll be here feels like coming home. And I want to know you feel the same.” He bit his lip, pausing to meet Caleb’s gaze. “I want to be with you,” he continued. “Officially.”

By this point, Caleb had sat up and inched closer to Molly. He placed a calloused hand on his cheek and smiled tenderly.

“And you do not think this is… too fast?”

Molly returned his smile. “Well, the way I see it… In our line of business, everything moves fast. We’re fighting all sorts of horrible things, and, well, we could be dead tomorrow. Not exactly uplifting, I know, but what I’m getting at is that I think we should take the chances we get while we can. If we know something will make us happy, we should let ourselves experience as much of that joy as possible.” He brought a hand up to cover Caleb’s. “Besides… I know what I want. I’m yours, if you’ll have me.”

Caleb laughed, and Molly would’ve sold the world to make him laugh like that every day. “You make a convincing argument, Mollymauk Tealeaf.”

Caleb took Molly’s hand in his own, moving it so he could kiss the eye on Molly’s palm. “When I am with you, I’m the happiest I have been in a very long time.” He moved now to peck Molly’s lips. “And yes, I will have you.”

Molly felt as if he was about to burst. He kissed Caleb back, drawing him into his arms and letting elation overtake him. Caleb laughed again and pulled away, only to lay back and drag Molly down with him.

“Yes, Mollymauk,” Caleb continued with a grin as Molly kissed his cheek. “I think we can make this our every day.”


End file.
